Barriers to participation in adult basic education and training in the Sedibeng East and West districts of the Gauteng Department of Education

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Matjeke, Jacob Herman Velaphi

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2008-11-28T11:37:59Z

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2008-11-28T11:37:59Z

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2004

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http://hdl.handle.net/10394/132

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Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

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The research problem of this study was the low participation and retention
rates of illiterate and semi-literate adults and out-of-school youth in Adult
Basic Education and Training (ABET) programmes. In South Africa there are
substantial numbers of people who in spite off the availability of ABET centres
remain outside the world of ABET. The retention rates of ABET learners in the
education sector is notoriously problematic and the main categories of
possible barriers were identified as dispositional, situational and institutional
barriers.
An empirical investigation was conducted in the Sedibeng East and West
districts of the Gauteng Department of Education to determine the possible
barriers to ABET participation. The most distressing findings of this study were
with regard to institutional barriers to ABET in the region. These findings are
related to dissatisfaction with organizational issues (55%); teaching (82%) and
learning material (87%); lack of textbooks (97%); copying facilities (72%);
teaching resources (71%). With regard to the provision of learning material
the majority of both the facilitators (54%) and the adult learners (60%)
indicated that they have not received it on time.
The skills and attitudes of the facilitator have a determining effect on the
success and failure of an ABET activity. As a result of the total responses of
the facilitators on a variety of questions there is a general feeling of
dissatisfaction, unhappiness and poor moral. In contrast to the learners that
are in general satisfied (86%) with their assessment only 59% of the
facilitators were satisfied. In contrast to only 47% of the learners, the majority
of the facilitators (71%) were of the opinion that the province does not give
enough attention to ABET. As in the Foundation Phase of the formal school
the problem of communication in English as the language of learning and
teaching is a serious problem for the adult learners at Levels 1 and 2. The
majority of the respondents (60%) responded that they regard the use of
English as LOLT as discriminatory and also indicated that they prefer to be
taught in their home language.

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North-West University

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Barriers to participation in adult basic education and training in the Sedibeng East and West districts of the Gauteng Department of Education